Microsoft, the world's No. 1 software giant, may soon face competition in its profitable office software business as a Chinese firm has plans to promote its own.

Kingsoft Co., one of China's leading software companies, said that its new word processing system (WPS) version, co-developed with IBM and Intel, would be introduced into the market in May.

As Kingsoft's first cross-platform office application software, said Kingsoft's deputy CEO Ge Ke, the software codenamed "Hurricane" could be run on operating systems including Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

The company is also planning to start the public testing of its WPS V6, the next generation of WPS, in July.

"Our WPS software is very essential to the development of Linux, which has by far lacked a mature commercial office solution," Ge said.

As a domestic flagship office software provider, Kingsoft has long been known for its decade-long rivalry with Microsoft in the Chinese office software market.

Now, seeing support from big names like IBM, Intel and Hewlett-Packard in developing Linux to break Microsoft's Windows desktop dominance, Kingsoft is also hoping to improve its software based on the open-source operating system whose blueprints are freely distributed on the Internet.

"WPS Office is a leading domestic brand," Ge acknowledged. "We are considering how to come up with technological innovations."

(Xinhau News Agency March 27, 2004)